News
MP Dhammika Perera should disclose assets and liabilities to the public – IRES
by PRIYAN DE SILVA
The Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies Manjula Gajanayaka says that SLPP National List MP Dhammika Perera should disclose his assets and liabilities to the public.Gajanayake said that after being sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday the lawmaker had told the media that he had handed over his declaration of assets and liabilities to the Secretary General of Parliament. He even informed the Speaker of it before he was sworn in.
The IRES chief said that the papers handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament would remain in a sealed envelope and no one would have access to them. Even the Chairman of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka was not in a position to check the declarations of assets and liabilities. “If MP Dhammika Perera wants to prove that he is above board he should publish his declaration of assets and liabilities so that the general public can assess for themselves’’
Gajanayake said that handing over declarations of assets and liabilities to the relevant authorities was a mere formality. The contents remained in a sealed envelope unless someone made a complaint to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
Lodging a complaint without knowing the actual contents of the declaration of assets and liabilities was a risk because if the complaint was dismissed by a court of law the complainant is liable to pay damages. This is the main reason why social activists have been requesting Parliament to amend this law.The Declaration of Assets And Liabilities Law No 1 of 1975 is a law to compel certain specified categories of persons to make periodic declarations of their assets and liabilities in and outside Sri Lanka.
Gajanayaka said that the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law No 1 of 1975 amended in 1985 and 1988 was one of the most outdated laws in the country. “The first thing those who want to change the system should do is to change this law” Gajanayaka said If lawmaker Dhammika Perera genuinely wants to help rebuild the economy without expecting anything in return he should set an example by disclosing his assets and liabilities to the public.
The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.
Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.
The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses
will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”
In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125
News
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.
The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.
A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.
Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.
The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.
The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the most part of the island after 1.00 p.m
Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.
Sri Lankan troops in joint anti-terrorist exercise in Russia
Nine Indian poachers brought to KKS with their boat
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